Everything/Anything and…Chess…"Despite the documented evidence by chess historian HJR Murray, I've always thought that chess was invented by a goddess"–George Koltanowski: from the foreword to:"Women in chess, players of the Modern Age"

Sometimes you can get kids into chess if they play with themes-based chess sets. Little ones find it funny. I’ve found a few. These are chess sets with themes based on story book tales and other fictional literature. Please click here to view more or to order one of these sets. On the left bar – of this link – you can click on ‘themed chess sets’ to view even more.

I’ve done an entry about chess in the movies before. Onthis link you can read my entry about chess in the movies. More than 1700 movies have used chess and it seems to me the movies do love chess! On this link you can read about the chess game in “Alice through the looking glass” and also read about Alice in Wonderland..the real Alice too. On my Chess Humour-page, you can see Steve McQueen and Faye Danaway in the famous chess scene from the movie: The Thomas Crown affair, 1968.

Martie Preller is an Afrikaans writer. I don’t have to say too much about her as you can only look at all her awards and know that she’s one of South Africa’s brilliant writers of fiction in Afrikaans as well as in English. She has published more than 50 books – the titles are on her website too. She also has written the Balkie-series, a very popular series in South Africa available in English too. She has sent me some scanned images from her books where chess is featured. Her own son is also a chess player. I have for you some extracts from her books and in particular from an English story too. This story hasn’t been published as yet and she’s hoping to find an overseas publisher willing to publish her book. The title of the story is: “The face of Ilev”. Near to the end in this story you read about chess.

These 3 images are scanned images from her Afrikaans story: Die hart van Zeebak. [The heart of Zeebak]- click on the images for a larger view.

Summary of Esob in IBBY’s catalogus:

“In die tyd van die Esob (In the Time of the Evil) is a science-fiction novel set somewhere in the future after the collapse of civilization.
Against the backdrop of a technocratic regime ma¬nipulated by an evil, coldblooded man and his android minions, each of four young people strives to be the win-ner in a competition that tests their physical, mental and survival skills. The main protagonist, Nina, takes the reader with her on an odyssey of shifting realities and transmuting landscapes that test her belief in reality, the meaning of existence and herself. It is a harsh and frustrating journey during which she has to learn to discern good from evil. In a time of unnatural colonization and brainwashing she has to learn the meaning and value of human emotions.
The book celebrates the strength and endurance of the human spirit. It is structured in a post modernistic way by means of a multi-layered perspective as three different narrators who may or may not be the same person, narrate the story.”

We all knew that we were the chosen ones. What we did not know was that that year would be different. Completely different from all previous years.

I knew Daniel, Leonard and Matilda well. I knew their weak points. We had lived together for three years. We had lived and learnt.

The competition in die Training School was fierce. Only the best came out on top. In the first year, there were forty candidates, the next year only twenty and the final year, there were only ten and of those ten, it was undisputed that Daniel, Leonard, Matilda and I would be chosen. We were the best by far.

But the formal announcement had not been made yet. Perhaps I should start my story there: on the day that Zufar and Zandra did the announcement: the day of the fiery red sun.

*****

The amphitheatre glowed in the rays of the red sun. Our two pale round moons hung just above the two dark brown pillars of Odgo, one moon on each side of the entrance to the amphitheatre. The invited guests filled all the seats. The uninvited had to watch the ceremony on their screens.

The Winners of the previous years sat in the front row. They were wearing their red cloaks over their grey tunic suits This was the day, the long-awaited day.

Everyone was quiet. Our people never spoke unless it was necessary. We, the ten of our final year, stood behind the stage waiting for Zufar and Zandra to start the ceremony. We did not speak either, because there was nothing to say.

Daniel kept on throwing his cloak back over his shoulder. Leonard looked as if he was listening to a silent voice, his head slightly turned, with a frown on his face. Matilda was fiddling with her cloak’s tassels. The other six were just standing there. They would not exchange their grey cloaks for white ones. And they knew it.

The drums started rolling. It started as a soft murmur that grew and grew until it filled the amphitheatre with a sound so loud that it filled your head completely and then the drums waned until everything was quiet again. Zufar’s deep voice boomed through the amphitheatre. He talked in his usual staccato way. He irritated me today. When I was young, he was so impressive. Now he was just Zufar.

Then it was Zandra’s turn to speak. Her drawl would not let go of the words as if she wanted to keep them to herself. Her face was half hidden behind a turban that she wore low over her forehead. Zufar and Zandra were reciting the opening words. They too were Winners, long ago and were wearing their red cloaks.

The single shrill note of a trumpet called us to the stage. Everybody’s eyes were fixed on us. It was like that every year. Every year everybody already knew who would be chosen, but still they had to hear it officially from Zufar and Zandra.

We took up our seats in the front row. The trumpets tore the sky with the song of our people. But it was a song without words.

Zufar and Zandra announced our names one by one. Nina. Daniel. Matilda. Leonard. We stepped forward to receive our white cloaks. The silence in the amphitheatre was neutral. I never knew whether they cared or not.

Back in our seats, we dropped the grey cloaks and slung our white cloaks around our shoulders.

The drums rolled again and then the ceremony was over. Tomorrow would be our final preparation day.
———-end of extract of the story from the start.

—-near to the end.“But now I have a problem.” He suddenly sat upright. “ Do you know the game of chess? No, of course you won’t. It dates from our pre-history. But in the game, you have a white queen and a black queen. But the problem is, although I have really enjoyed talking to you, I am now stuck with two blond queens, and the one will have to go, unfortunately. You have no chance against the other Nina. She is the better of you in all aspects, so I choose her. And I decided that Nina and Daniel would take over the city. A new ruler would be introduced. Nina, with Daniel at her side. But of course not, this Daniel.” He smiled. “And Nina would go down in the annals as the Queen who ruled with an iron fist.” He smiled again. “Now isn’t that a fitting description of Android-Nina?” he asked.He was right. I stood no chance against Android-Nina. But I can put my hands around Ilev’s throat and squeeze the life out of him.

“And just in case you think you can do something to me, Nina,” he read my thoughts again. “I took precaution. There is a special code that only I know, that must be fed to the Master-Computer every thirty minutes. If that doesn’t happen, the Master-Computer is programmed to destroy the city and all its inhabitants immediately.”

Balkie, a character that features in the Balkie-series written by Martie. This series is available in English and Afrikaans – you can view it on her website.

When you click on “Op die Internet” [on the internet] -on Martie’s webpage, you will find an Afrikaans newspaper article about Babalela’s travels in London.

Babalela in one of the books as illustrated by andriesmaritz.blogspot.com

If you click on this image, (it is an animated image), you will see the covers of about 7 more books written by Martie. It does take a second or two for the animation to change, so please have patience.

To English readers, unfortunately, this post is only in Afrikaans, as it is about children’s stories in Afrikaans and all sorts of ramblings about Afrikaans authors and school stuff, so there’s no point I try to translate anything for you, but there’s tons of other stuff on this site to go through and I hope you enjoy wat you find here. You may want to click on the second and third link in this post as it is in English and also about children’s stories…all links will open in a new window. There’s also a link for you to Dalene Matthee’s books/films…enjoy! I have also uploaded PDF’s (to the middle of this post) with Afrikaans poems and stories. There is even one PDF with a story about the SAN.

Alida Bothma …Image: accu.or.jpAlida Bothma an artist/illustrator of children’s books. Born in 1953. Studied at School of Art and Design, Technikon, Cape Town. Artist and art gallery owner. Started working as illustrator and designer at advertising agency in Cape Town. Exhibited water colour paintings at international exhibition in Germany in 1979.
The winning work is published in Afrikaans from Nasou via Afrika, South Africa, in 2004.

I loooooove this piece of art!

I came across Alida Bothma’s art when searching for a topic and then remembered how beautifully she used to illustrate children’s books in South Africa. In 2004 she was a runner-up in the Noma Concours Picture Book illustrations-award and I’m not surprised. I’m actually surprised that she wasn’t a winner…but all can’t be winners..lol! you have to take turns…so I guess it wasn’t her “turn” …

The Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations has been organised biennially by Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) supported by Noma International Book Development Fund. This Concours is to discover up-and-coming illustrators, graphic designers and artists in Asia (except Japan), the Pacific, Africa, Arab States, and Latin America & the Caribbean, to provide an opportunity at which they can present their works to offer incentives for their creative activities.
Source: http://www.accu.or.jp/noma/english/e_index.html

Outline
“Woordreise” means “word travels.” This is a collection of poems in Afrikaans. The first themes are “What next,” then “Writing Songs.” Next “Read it, speak it, eat it!” tries to encourage young people to use the Afrikaans language. Then, “Ballad, reports, and stories,” “Growing up,” and “The Big Bang of Love.” This is followed by poems about scary things. “Bitterbessie dagbreek” is a name of a well-known poem by Ingrid Jonker. The last poems are about birds, insects, and animals. See more awards on this link:

Image: kalahari.net
Goue Lint My Storie Begint..(A book of verse for little children also Illustrated by Alida)

The Katrine Harries Award, originally the only and most prestigious award in South Africa for children’s book illustrations, but which had been dormant for the past nine years, will soon be awarded again.

Protea Boekhuis has kindly agreed to sponsor the Award on a continuous basis.The award that was made for the first time in the early 1960’s by the SA Library Association and later the South African Institute for Library and Information Science (SAILIS) has been awarded to South Africa’ s most well-known illustrators: Katrine Harries personally received the award twice before it was named after her. Thereafter illustrators such as Niki Daly, Joan Rankin, Alida Bothma, Cora Coetzee, Jeremy Grimsdell, amongst others, have received it, with Jude Daly finally receiving it in 1997 for Gift of the Sun.
Resource: http://scbwigauteng.blogspot.com/2007/09/katrine-harries-award-for-childrens.html

Deeply morbid deeply morbid was the girl who typed the letters
Always out of office hours running with her social betters
But when daylight and the darkness of the office closed about her
Not for this ah not for this her office colleagues came to doubt her
It was that look within her eye
Why did it always seem to say goodbye?

Joan her name was and at lunchtime
Solitary solitary
She would go and watch the pictures
In the National Gallery
All alone all alone
This time with no friend beside her
She would go and watch the pictures
All alone.

Thomas Ochse Honiball was born on 7 December 1905 in Cradock. He attended school in Stellenbosch and did drawings for the school magazine. He studied architecture at the University of Cape Town (until 1926). In 1927 he continued to study commercial art in Chicago, where he was introduced to American cartoons. On his return to Cape Town in 1930 he worked in advertising and later as freelance caricaturist and cartoonist. From 1936 he worked for Nasionale Pers newspapers and in 1941 took over from DC Boonzaier as political caricaturist.

T.O. Honiball married Iona Boesen in 1934. They had four children.
Iona died in 1971. Honiball was married to Essie de Villiers – Dreyer in 1973. (Essie Honiball)
He retired in 1974 and held his first one man exhibition in Pretoria in the same year.
He continued to sketch political caricatures until 1978.

In 1977 he donated his Honiballiana – collections to Stellenbosch University and the National Library Museum (NALN – Nasionale Afrikaanse Letterkundige Museum en Navorsingssentrum) in Bloemfontein. In 1985 he bestowed his collection of political caricatures to the NasionalePers.
1986: Foundation of TO Honiball-Promosies
T.O. Honiball died on 22 Februarie 1990 in Montagu.Source: HERE…and read on WIKIPEDIAmore about him.Image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/78/247418341_9131adefc8.jpg?v=0

English readers: There’s an English story at the end of this post for you….! Do enjoy!

On this next link you can read about Afrikaans stories and there are some PDF’s to download about Stories/poems – in Afrikaans, mostly for use by teachers or parents doing homeschooling. The link will open in a new window.

Afrikaans Children’s stories are loaded with stories written about Wolf and Jackal. You can say It’s part of our culture…and almost our history. If you’re an Afrikaans speaking child and you don’t know about Wolf and Jackal-stories – written by PW Grobbelaar, you definitely have a H-U-G-E gap in your upbringing…and your culture… I can’t even think that it would happen, only if you’re now living in another country, yes, that’s possible…but then it’s your parents’ fault if you don’t know about these stories! In these stories, Jackal always plays the joke on Wolf….. We have the most wonderful stories about Wolf and Jackal and the most wonderful people to bring these stories alive to us and our children. One such a person was Dana Niehaus. Sadly, he passed away more than ten years ago…and we’re lucky to have his son, Danie! Danie is a singer and he’s got that wonderful personality his dad had too. I’ve got a cd with some of these Wolf and Jackal stories where his dad tells those stories and would like to upload one favourite here later today. I just LOVE his way of retelling these stories. I used these stories with my grade 3 children in listening skills activities and they used to laugh more than they’d listen, so we all listened the story out first, laughed ourselves to bits and then the second time we sat with straight faces…- even though it was a bit hard – to listen to the story again…I’ve found a couple of stories on the internet…the source is at the bottom of this post…do enjoy them on the audio files too… luckily these stories are also in many other languages available! and they always have the most wonderful illustrated images and TO Honiball was one of the best to illustrate these books……...ok…now in Afrikaans…Ek hoop julle geniet hierdie stories en ek het gewonder, is daarenige Afrikaanssprekendes in die buiteland wathulletuis Afrikaans leer…ek sal graag van jou wilhoor as jyhier lees en jy een van hulle is…Hier is een van Dana Niehaus se vertellings : Jakkals wil mos jok…van ‘n Bollie-plaat. Gepraat van “Bollie”…dis so jammer dat Huisgenoot die Bollie verander het na Bobo!! waar gaan die lewe heen!! ons arme kinders het net lief geword vir Bollie…en nou moet ons hoor dat Bollie nie meer bestaan nie! Bollie was so DEEL van ons “kultuur“…!! Further down in this post you will find more audio stories.

Once upon a time there was a Wolf and a Jackal walking down the road that led to town. As they were walking, they found a wagon on the side of the road. The Jackal and the Wolf decided to see what was in the barrels that were on the wagon. They couldn’t believe their eyes! It was butter.
So the Wolf and the Jackal sat there for a moment just looking at their discovery. They couldn’t figure out how to get those big barrels off the wagon and take them home. They talked about it and decided that the Wolf would go to the front of the wagon and play dead. Then when the farmer loaded his body in the wagon and drove off, he would quickly roll one of the barrels off the wagon. The Jackal would go hide in the tall grass and wait.
The farmer came back and saw the Wolf lying on the ground in front of the wagon. He took his donkey whip and whipped the Wolf a couple times to make sure that he was “dead”. He then picked up the Wolf and put him in the wagon.
(Their plan was really working. I bet that whip really hurt the wolf. Sometimes when people are naughty they get spankings. I one time got spanked with some bamboo. I will never be naughty again).
When the farmer started driving away, the Wolf pushed the barrel off the wagon and up ran the Jackal. He took the barrel to the side of the road. A few minutes later, the Wolf jumped off the wagon and made his way back to the barrel and the Jackal. The wolf couldn’t wait to dig into the butter. He was so hungry, but the Jackal insisted that they wait. He told that Wolf that fresh butter will make you die if you eat it. He told him that they would have to let it get ripe. The Wolf was so disappointed. They then made their way back home, excited about what they had found.
Well a few days later the wolf couldn’t keep his mind off the barrel of butter, so he ran to the Jackals house and asked, “is the butter was ripe yet?” The Jackal replied, “Umm, to tell you the truth, Wolf, my wife just had a baby. We named him Good Start. I am more worried about getting him baptized than I am about the butter. Why don’t you come back by in a couple of days and then we will check on the butter.” The wolf agreed and went on his way.
(Did you know that the Jackal was really in his house eating all the butter? His wife really didn’t have a baby).
A few days later the Wolf ran to the Jackal’s house. He was pounding on the door. The Jackal came running to see who it was. “Oh, Wolf, you scared me to death. I thought I was being robbed,” said the Jackal.
The Wolf replied, “I want to go check on the butter and I want you to come!” The Jackal snarled back, “Well, I have some bad news. My wife just gave birth to two more sons, so I am off to get them baptized. We named then First Hoop and Bottom of the Barrel.” The Wolf was even more mad and he was more hungry for the butter. The Jackal promised that tomorrow they could go get the butter.
That night the Wolf couldn’t sleep because he was so excited. The Jackal had been waiting for him when he got there. They ran to the barrel only to find that the butter was gone. The Jackal blamed the Wolf and the Wolf blamed the Jackal for eating all the butter and not sharing. They began to fight. The Wolf was much bigger than the Jackal and could win the fight easily. The Jackal screamed to stop the fight. He made a suggestion about how they could find out who ate the butter. He said, “We will both go lie on those rocks and take a nap. The sun will make us warm and we will sweat out the butter. When we awake from the nap we will see who has butter on him.” The Wolf that this was a great plan because he knew he hadn’t eaten any of the butter.
(Did you know that you really can’t sweat out butter?).
Well, the Jackal really didn’t sleep. He just lay there waiting for the Wolf to go to bed. He then ran over to put the rest of the butter on the Wolf’s body. A few minutes later the Wolf woke up and looked at the Jackal. They looked at each other and the Wolf had butter everywhere. The Wolf knew that he really hadn’t eaten any butter, but the Jackal insisted that he had. The melting butter around his mouth proved it. The Jackal was so mad they didn’t speak for days….The End.

I think dogs are wonderful animals and really your closest friend. We’ve had several breeds of dogs as pets in South Africa and I can’t make up my mind about the best breed, but I think, if I really have to choose a favourite, which is of course very difficult as I loved them all so much, then it should be Jackie…our last doggie, she was a cross between a fox terrier and a Jack Russel. She had some more Jack Russel “blood” and ways of doing things/manners. We used to have a few foxterriers on the farm, so that’s why I know she had some little more JR-manners…but do take a look at her on this pic! She was sooooooo cute!! and sooooo clever! She loved raisins and when I discovered that…very early after we’d rescued her from a plot, I taught her to stay, sit and paw in one night! It tookme about 30 min…and that’s really no joke!… – of course with the help of the raisins!! This little basket she’s in, was her favourite to chew for those baby teeth! and you can see how much she loved to be in it! In this pic you can see that she spotted something and was looking at it…I think it was the hoopoe …as there was always one near the house…she never chased any bird/cat, but could sit and watch them for hours…she reminded me about the Afrikaans Chidrens’ story I’ve read to children in school, the book’s title is “Koningskind” and it was translated into English with the title “Prince”…if you can get hold of this book..about an English Bull dog…written by Anita du Plessis, you should do so, as it is written from the dog’s point of view and you will laugh yourself into stitches when reading it! If I ever have to get another dog, it will surely be a Jack Russel. When we got her as a pup, many people warned us, because of their behaviour. Maybe because she was a cross, she was more “well-behaved”…but I always say — and I think I’m right! – that pets are like your children. If you discipline them, they are lovely…but if not…well, you have to suffer the consequences then… and I’ve seen people on TV with their pets and they way their pets behave and if you look at the people, the way they speak and behave, well, then you know why they have all those troubles with their pets! I can truly say that none of our pets had ever caused us any trouble of any kind. Give your pet the love they need and they will be those “dream” pets!

Jackie as a pup on the bed! her favourite spot to take a nap!

This pic is one I’ve found on the internet and this is what our foxie looked like when I was a child…Scotty…and we had one before him, Spotty! This is now a dog you can trust! Scotty used to spend hours with me in the mountains…on the farm…he used to LOVE it when we went for a jog during the evenings…he was going crazy and would run up and down the room when I was getting my trainers or “tekkies” like we use to say in Afrikaans.

Image: historic-scotland.gov.uk
Please click HERE to read my post about Grey Friars Bobby and how he looked after his master, even after his death! There was also a movie about Bobby! Another book I couldn’t resist…but do read my post about this book…it’s worth reading about the history so many people – even in England – don’t know about!

“A book entitled “Koningskind” by Anita du Plessis won first prize in the “Daan Retief “children’s book competition. The book was also translated into English under the title Prince. It tells the story of how a bulldog pup joins a family as a gift to a little girl. Out of the 67 entries received the three judges agreed that his adventures, as told by himself, made for an unforgettable read.”..from… chakabulldog.co.za

The Indian in the cupboard. – Afrikaans title: Die Rooihuid in die kassie

Synopsis
Three bestselling stories about Omri, and his friend Patrick, who turns his plastic Red Indian, Little Bull, into a real miniature person. The Indian in the Cupboard Who’d want a boring little plastic Red Indian as a birthday present? Omri doesn’t — until his brother gives him a very special cupboard which can make the Indian come alive…Return of the Indian Omri is unexpectedly reminded of his beloved Red Indian, and can’t resist making sure he’s still all right. But when he opens the cupboard door Little Bull is wounded, nearly dead, and Omri must find help. The Secret of the Indian Omri’s friend Patrick goes back in time to the Wild West, and keeping the secret safe becomes even more difficult for Omri…

On THIS LINK– on my blog – you can read about other childrens’ books I’ve blogged before and books written by Dalene Matthee…her books translated into English and her target group is more the adult audience …

Please click HERE to listen to the BBC program about “Where the wild things are”.

This book is really a MUST-have if you have little children…and I’ve bought it myself again…here in London…as I can’t resist a good book, even if it’s chidren’s books…which any teacher can’t go without…if you teach primary…

Who the Wild Things Are (30 min)
Broadcast on Radio 4 Tue 24 Jun – 11:30

Philip Glassborow explores the origins of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are. Featuring readings by Henry Goodman and Jewish Klezmer music.Click HERE for program the program information.

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Beauty lives with kindness-Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona

I took the road less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference. Robert Frost Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality.-Arthur KoestlerNo man ever steps in the same river twice-
HeraclitusThere is nothing more frightening than active ignorance. - Goethe Churchill described his impressions of the Boer army when he first saw it, as a recently taken captive: 'What men they were, these Boers! I thought of them as I had seen them in the morning riding forward through the rain--thousands of independent riflemen, thinking for themselves, possessed of beautiful weapons, led with skill, living as they rode without commissariat or transport or ammunition column, moving like the wind, and supported by iron constitutions'.Carlsen vs Anand Sochi 2014

Anand vs Carlsen Chennai 2013You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.-Abraham LincolnSpoken by great men:"Give me 20 divisions of American soldiers and I will breach Europe. Give me 15 consisting of Englishmen and I will advance to the borders of Berlin. Give me two divisions of those marvellous fighting Boers and I will remove Germany from the face of the earth." - Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery, Commander of the Allied Forces during WW2."The Americans fight for a free world, the English mostly for honor, glory and medals, the French and Canadians decide too late that they have to participate. The Italians are too scared to fight, the Russians have no choice. The Germans for their Fatherland. The Boers? Those sons of Bitches fight for the hell of it." Amercan General, George 'Guts and Glory' Patton.
European Chess Club Cup 2012

London Chess Classic 2015A nation that forgets its past has no future - Winston ChurchillHe who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool. Shun him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child. Teach him. He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep. Wake him. He who knows, and knows that he knows, is a leader. Follow him. If Education is the key, school is the lock. Education is either to calm the disturbed or disturb the calm. He who opens a school door, closes a prison-Victor HugoDocendo discimus [by teaching we learn] Gary Player: 'I am a South African, a nation which is the result of an African graft on European stock and which is the product of its instinct and ability to maintain civilized values and standards amongst the aliens'.Above all shadows rides the sun- Tolkien In Renaissance Europe chess was part of the education of the nobility and was proclaimed the “Royal Game.” In 1732 Benjamin Franklin wrote an essay, The Morals Of Chess, in which he said “The game of chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualties of the mind useful in the course of human life are to be acquired and strengthened by it....” 'Rebranding the Afrikaner: World Cup watershed?' [CNN] A good link: read all of Jabulani74's comments on this link.
on THIS LINK you can read the truth - Sharpeville [or the lies, whichever way you want to see it-see the 2nd image too]The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis. Dante AligheriSow the wind - Reap the hurricaneIstanbul Chess 2012 [Click the image for the official site]Biel Chess Festival 2011- Click the image for the official site "Mag aldus die Afrikaner stam, van wie die toekoms altyd vol hoop was, in die einde opgroei tot 'n kragtige boom, en ons dade toon dat ons waardig is om 'n plek in te neem in die ry van die volke..." Paul KrugerLife is not about waiting for the storms to pass... It's about learning how to dance in the rain-Vivian GreeneNo one can know or appreciate the Boer who does not know his past, for he is what his past has made him- Conan Doyle - Click HERE to read more by Doyle.

An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.South Africa. Other than Germany probably the most misunderstood White country in the world. A country that has now degenerated into anarchy.Let’s take an unbiased look at their noble history.[click for the link]He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors. Thomas JeffersonAny dead thing can go with the stream; it takes something ALIVE to swim against it.Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.T.S. Eliot Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take and good poets make it into something better, or at least something differentThe man who does not know who his great-grandfather was, naturally enough would not care what he was...the man who fears to disgrace his ancestor is certainly less likely to disgrace himself. Charles Major, When Knighthood was in Flower

Die grootheid van die mens kan gesien word in hoe hy teenoor sy minderheid optree.Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.-ConfuciusMusic expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words. ~Robert G.Ingersoll'And lastly, we learn by chess the habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs; the habit of hoping for a favorable chance, and that of preserving in the search of resources.' -Benjamin Franklin, 'The Morals of Chess'The hardest game to win is a won game --Emmanuel LaskerAvoid the crowd. Think independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece- RumiIt is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. -Herman MelvilleWhile one should always study the method of a great artist, one should never imitate his manner. The manner of an artist is essentially individual, the method of an artist is absolutely universal. The first is personality, which no one should copy.Did you know: Chess has the most extensive literature of any game, sport or pastime.Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe –Indian proverbChess is the touchstone of the human intellect.
-Johann Wolfgang von GoetheThe chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the Universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature and the player on the other side is hidden from us--Thomas Huxley.God created the world just like a knife and left it up to us to take it by the handle or the blade--C J LangenhovenJou persepsie hang waarskynlik alles af van hóé wyd jou opvatting van die poësie is-Joan Hambidge.Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom.- Proverb. I doubt, therefore I think; I think therefore I am.-Rene Descartes-
Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith.- Paul Tillich
He who knows nothing, doubts nothing. Spanish proverb. Wisdom begins in wonder.- SocratesVal eerder in my sop as in my rede--LangenhovenSeek in the past everything that is good and clean and build thereon your future.Vriende moet soos boeke wees, min, maar goed uitgesoek --LangenhovenFriends should be like books, few, but hand-selected --Langenhoven Goeie boeke en musiek verryk jou siel --LangenhovenGood books and music enrich your soul --LangenhovenLet those love now who never loved before. Let those who always loved now love the more. --Thomas ParnellLove is like quicksand--the deeper you fall in, the harder it is to get out.Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.There is no failure except in no longer trying--Elbert Hubbard.The secret of success is the ability to survive failure --Noel Coward.You cannot step twice in the same river, for other waters are continually flowing in--Knowing not how to listen is knowing not how to speak--Heraclitus, Fragments.Vuil wasgoed is om te was!-- Langenhoven'I think one move ahead - but it is always the best move'-RetiSome part of a mistake is always correct. - Savielly TartakoverChess teaches you to control the initial excitement you feel when you see something that looks good and it trains you to think objectively when you're in trouble.--Stanley Kubrick A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction.
Leo Tolstoy Love is like a knife, it can stab the heart or it can carve wonderful images into the soul that will last a lifetime.A rising tide raises all boats! - JFKennedyThe artist creates in order to free himself, only to find himself again in the end-Irma SternAnd think not you can guide the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, shall guide your course.Kahlil Gibran Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy.TarraschChess is a beautiful mistress.LarsenChess is as much a mystery as women.PurdyEarly to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.Benjamin FranklinLove is like a Game of Chess: One False Move and You're Mated ~ Anonymous~Chess is the art which expresses the science of logic.Mikhail BotvinnikThe pawns are the soul of chess.Philidor~~Play to win, if not, be an artist and draw~~

Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach. Aristotle
By learning we teach and by teaching we learn
Men Top Ten chess players
Women Top Ten chess players

Chess Grandmaster -Vassily Ivanchuk says:
"And do you like playing chess against women?
I wouldn’t say I do particularly, but I also wouldn’t say I don’t like it. In general, I try not to make an exception out of games against women. In chess, female logic differs little from male logic, which you can see just by analysing games. After all, the strongest female players work with men in one way or another. I don’t know what the female style of play is. Or more precisely, I don’t see any difference when compared to male play. In everyday life I also don’t divide people into men and women. For me, personal qualities, mentality and upbringing are the important things when spending time with people."

Some Thoughts

Everyone is a genius.But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.― Benjamin FranklinThe real challenges on the way to become a master test your strength of character more than they test your chess skill!-Kevin SpraggettA people are what its women are. The woman is the conscience of her nation as well as the measure of its values. The moral life of a nation is controlled by the women and by the women can we measure the moral condition of the people. - Postma Descartes: cogito ergo sum (ek dink, daarom is ek)==The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naive forgive and forget,the wise forgive but do not forget--Thomas SzaszWanneer jy groot dinge dink, groot dinge glo en groot dinge bid, gebeur groot dinge - N V PealeMense sonder boeke, is soos arende sonder vlerke-G.D.LabuschagneA mere copier of nature can never produce anything great. -Joshua Reynolds
~~~ Jou beeld is 'n verflenterde foto in 'n skewe, versplinterde raam en 'n sestal geskommelde letters spel jou tweelettergrepige naam Jou woorde is dor manuskripte vir die motte bewaar op die rak en ons dae 'n kralesnoer syfers op 'n outydse muuralmanak. - Koos du PlessisLove means nothing in tennis, but it's everything in life.Einstein:Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected.

Die woord 'skaak' kom van die Persiese woord 'sjah', wat koning beteken. Ook die woord 'mat' is Persies en beteken 'dood'.
~~~2010!If chess is a science, it's a most inexact one. If chess is an art, it's too exacting to be seen as one. If chess is a sport, it's too esoteric. If chess is a game, it's too demanding to be just a game. If chess is a mistress, she's a demanding one. If chess is a passion, it's a rewarding one.
If chess is life, it's a sad one-UnknownAnand vs Topalov 21 April 2010Book of the moment: In Search of South Africa by H V Morton

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

Don't Quit
by: Unknown Author

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

'He who knows not and knows not he knows not, is a fool, shun him. He who knows not and knows he knows not, is simple, teach him. He who knows and knows not that he knows, is asleep, wake him. He who knows and knows that he knows, is a leader/wise - follow him.' -